This invention pertains generally to firearms and, more specifically, to an ammunition magazine for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges.
Over the years, there has been a continuous effort to improve the security and operation of conventional firearms. Improvements in electronics technology has allowed certain mechanical firing systems and components in firearms to be replaced by electronic components. For example, a mechanical trigger bar is displaced by an electronic solenoid in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,085, xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIRING SYSTEM FOR TARGET PISTOLxe2x80x9d. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,153, for a xe2x80x9cFIREARM BATTERY AND CONTROL MODULExe2x80x9d, a firearm using conventional percussion primers incorporates a processor into its ignition system.
Electronics have also been incorporated into ignition systems for firearms that use non-conventional primers and cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,174, for xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR FIREARMxe2x80x9d, describes an electronic control system for firing electronically-primed ammunition. The electronic control of the ""174 patent, however, is hard-wired and lacks the multiple sensor interfaces of the programmable central processing unit that is found with the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,972, for a xe2x80x9cGUN WITH ELECTRICALLY FIRED CARTRIDGExe2x80x9d, describes an electrically-fired gun in which a heat-sensitive primer is ignited by voltage induced across a fuse wire extending through the primer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,828, for a xe2x80x9cCOMBINED CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE AND POWER SUPPLY FOR A FIREARMxe2x80x9d, shows a laser ignited primer in which an optically transparent plug or window is centered in the case of the cartridge to permit laser ignition of the primer. Power requirements to energize the laser, as well as availability of fused and or laser-ignited primers are problematic, however. U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,056, for an xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIREARM AND PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC FIREARMxe2x80x9d, shows a firearm for firing electrically-activated ammunition having a cartridge sensor and a bolt position sensor. The technology of the ""056 patent, however, is limited to a firearm with a bolt action.
Much of the effort in recent years to integrate eletronics into firearms stems from a desire to effectively restrict the person or persons who are able to operate the firearm. There have also been numerous attempts to incorporate external, mechanical locking devices such as keyed locks which prevent movement of the trigger or firing mechanism. The downside of such external locking devices is that they are often cumbersome and timely to diable, and thus impractical for use on the person or in situations where the firearm must quickly be readied to fire.
None of the firearms discussed or cited above disclose a modular and compactly designed ammunition magazine of a firearm which is capable of supporting not only the ammunition cartridges employs by the firearm, a power source for the firearm as well. The present invention is directed to such an ammunition magazine.
It is one object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges which is modular in design, thereby having improved reliability, maintainability, and manufacturability.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine which accommodates both ammunition cartridges and a power source for the firearm.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ammunition magazine which inhibits the inadvertent disassociation of the power source from the firearm.
According to the present invention, an ammunition magazine is proposed for a firearm adapted to fire non-impact ammunition cartridges, the firearm includes a frame and a backstrap module which houses an electronic firing apparatus for generating a firing signal. The ammunition magazine also includes an elongated housing for accommodating the ammunition cartridges and has a pair of edge members formed along opposing lateral edges of the housing adjacent a bottom end, the housing being selectively insertable into a magazine chamber formed in the frame. An end cap is equipped with a pair of groove members formed along opposing lateral edges and adjacent a top end for selectively accommodating the pair of edge members and enabling the end cap to be secured to the bottom end of the housing. The ammunition magazine further includes a blind bore formed in the end cap for accommodating a battery. The blind bore has an open longitudinal end facing the top end of the end cap, as well as an outwardly extending electrical contact pad which is in electrical communication with a closed end of the blind bore. The contact pad abuts and is in electrical communication with the backstrap module when the end cap is mated with the housing and the housing is inserted into the magazine chamber.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of best mode embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.